Artworld's celebrity fascination masks deeper authority crisis, argues 2013 critique

The art world's preoccupation with celebrities reflects a deeper confusion between familiarity and authority, according to a 2013 opinion piece. Celebrities like James Franco, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Jay Z have become prominent buyers and sellers of expensive contemporary art, often working with knowledgeable advisors such as Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn. Sociologist Frank Furedi notes that modern celebrities are portrayed as both special and ordinary, creating artificial intimacy through constant media exposure. This familiarity leads art professionals to grant celebrities unwarranted authority in artistic matters, despite lacking measured intelligence about their actual expertise. The phenomenon was observed at events like Art Basel Miami Beach, where actor Keanu Reeves was seen browsing before 2008. Economist Tyler Cowen's book 'Average Is Over' suggests marketing—the business of making things familiar—will be the next boom industry, explaining why celebrities dominate this field. Contemporary art struggles to establish its own values and authority, increasingly seeking validation through familiarity rather than substantive criteria. The article originally appeared in the November 2013 issue of ArtReview.